


Turtle Turned Hare

by Springmagpies



Series: AU August 2020 [3]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Comfort, Gen, Humor, Kind of role reversal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:14:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25696363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Springmagpies/pseuds/Springmagpies
Summary: When Mack accidentally walks into one of Deke's simulations, he suddenly realizes he has inhuman powers. But not just any inhuman powers. He has Yoyo's.
Relationships: Alphonso "Mack" Mackenzie & Deke Shaw
Series: AU August 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862158
Comments: 18
Kudos: 23
Collections: AOS AU August 2020





	Turtle Turned Hare

**Author's Note:**

> This was suggested by the lovely @beth-is-rainpaint! Is it truly a role reversal au? I have no idea. But, I'm counting it. Enjoy!

Mack was the closest he had ever been to killing Deke. Well, that was a bit harsh. He was the closest he had ever been to punching Deke. That was a bit better, right? Either way, he was very upset at Deke. 

It was one thing to rip off songs and sell an 80s cover band as the real thing, it was another to start working on video games that wouldn’t be there for another forty years. 

“It’s a pet project,” Deke said when Mack saw sketches of what looked like Framework code hidden behind Coulson’s TV. 

“Fitz would kill you if he saw this,” Mack replied, shaking the blueprints before slamming them back on the table. “And we don’t have time for it anyway.”

“Listen, man, I’m not using SHIELD time or energy on it. I promise.”

“You shouldn’t be using any time or energy on it. Pack it away, Agent Shaw.”

Apparently he hadn’t, because a week later Mack walked into one of the storage rooms only to find himself in what appeared to be a well-stocked gymnasium crossed with a lab that would have Fitzsimmons’ in happy tears. There was a sitting area with blueprints, old take out boxes, and mugs strewn about on the coffee table and opened boxes of tea on a little shelf. 

What caught Mack's eye the most were the pictures of his fellow team members that lined the back wall of the room. Coulson’s image sat at the very left while Deke’s was on the very right. In the center was Mack with Daisy and Elena on either side of him. Fitz, Simmons, and Enoch were on the wall as well and even Agent Sousa, who had only recently joined their team, was positioned to the left of Daisy.

“What the hell, Deke,” Mack muttered to himself as he walked over to the line of portraits. In spite of his burning fury that the agent had set up another Framework--and that he was currently stuck in it--seeing the pictures of Elena and the rest of his friends dimmed that fire a bit. It felt like years since he had even seen hints of them, now he had tangible photographs (even if it was just in his head). 

Smiling to himself, Mack picked up the picture of Elena, tracing his fingers across her cheek and nose as his heart ached for her. Then the strangest feeling overtook him, chills running along his arms and down his spine as his heart began to beat wildly in his rib cage. Not wanting to break the photograph, Mack steadied himself with one hand against the wall as he placed the photo back on its hook with the other. His hands now free, he fell to his knees and tried to catch his breath. This proved difficult as his heart was hammering against his chest with mighty thumps and his throat felt like it was lined with sandpaper. 

In dire need of something to drink, Mack searched the room for anything to quench his thirst. Spotting a fridge full of water bottles, he made his way over to grab one for himself. That was when it happened. He was back over at the wall before he knew it, water bottle in hand and his heart starting to steady. 

“Oh, hell no.” 

Trying out the powers again, Mack ran to grab a wrench from off of one of the lab benches, bouncing back to his starting point before he could fully comprehend what he had done.  _ Well shit _ , he thought. He had Elena’s powers. 

He wasn’t sure if he liked having them or not. They weren’t super useful when he was simply stuck in this training room, but it was interesting using them. He wasn’t sure how accurate the experience was, the Framework version being simply Deke’s interpretation, but they felt pretty real. Good or bad, he guessed that was part of the Framework’s realism package. 

Mack had never been a person to work fast, preferring to take his time and iron out all details. He liked thinking through each step, looking over each component, taking in every piece of machinery he worked on. However, with Elena’s abilities, he could kind of do both in a way. The world slowed around him and he could take his time while still acting quickly in the grand scheme of things. He still thought the powers suited Elena better though, and having them just made him miss her all the more. Wishing not to use the powers anymore, Mack instead moved back to looking at the pictures of his friends. It was as he scanned over each of his friend’s faces--his mind no longer in the Framework or even the 80s, but in a faraway time and place--that a voice suddenly boomed as if over an intercom.

“Mack?” Deke said, his voice bouncing off the walls. “Mack, you in here?”

“Deke? Deke! Get me out of here!” Mack called to the voice up above him.

“Sure thing, Director.”

Mack opened his eyes back to the storage room, Deke kneeling next to him with a mix of concern and nervousness.

“I can explain,” Deke said, helping Mack to his feet.

“Explain why you built the Framework when I asked you not to? I’d love to hear it.”

Deke folded his arms, scuffing his Nike's nervously on the ground. “I thought it would be good to have a bit of a training space. And, as you just saw, I made it a whole lot easier to communicate with the people in the gym. Which, I think, is a huge improvement. Less chance people get stuck, right? I still don’t know when we’d have the time to use it, but I--I couldn’t sleep so I thought I’d make it.”

“And that’s all you use it for?” Mack asked, remembering the used lab benches and sitting area, “just as something to work on.”

“I go in it from time to time,” Deke admitted shyly. His eyes were still trained on the floor.

“To do what?”

Mack was surprised to see a blush run up Deke’s neck. “I talk to Nana and Bobo when I need advice. Enoch sometimes too. Been training with May every now and again if I’m not super up for talking. I know I’m just having a conversation with myself, but it’s nice to hear their voices.”

His heart softening and the rage diminishing, Mack lightly placed his hand on Deke’s shoulder, knowing exactly where the young scientist was coming from. 

“We’ll get back to them,” he assured, though he was partly assuring himself. 

“Yeah,” Deke said, “we will.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @springmagpies! 💕


End file.
